http:// .com Reactive Arthritis & You your rheumatology resource

What is it? What is it going to do to me? What can I do about it?

Reactive arthritis is a type of arthritis that Reactive arthritis tends to start very quickly The first thing is don’t panic. Take a deep typically occurs after an infection of the and can be very intense. The joints affected breath. Although you might have been bowels or genitourinary tract. For some are usually stiff, swollen, painful, warm, and diagnosed with reactive arthritis, you are not reason the infection triggers the arthritis. slightly red. Sometimes the toes can swell up alone. Luckily, there are effective treatments This can happen 1 to 4 weeks after the infection. Reactive like sausages (this is called dactylitis). Inflammation of the available that can make living with the condition much arthritis can also be triggered by a sexually transmitted joints of the lower back can lead to back pain and stiffness. more comfortable. If you have reactive arthritis or think infection (STI) such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis you may have it, your family doctor should refer you to a or HIV. At first, people can feel unwell, tired and feverish. They rheumatologist – a specialist who is an expert in may have headaches or lose weight. These symptoms can treating arthritis. Reactive arthritis typically affects joints of the lower body also be due to the recent infection. including the feet, ankles, knees, hips and sometimes Reactive arthritis is a serious disease that must be treated the lower back. Inflammation in the tendons may also Other conditions can be associated with reactive arthritis early and aggressively. It can eventually damage the occur. Reactive arthritis is usually acute (sudden onset, such as inflammation of the eye (conjunctivitis). There joints if it is not adequately controlled. The first step is to short-term), but it can also be chronic (long-term). Chronic may also be genital or urinary symptoms such as painful treat your infection. Diarrheal and urinary tract infections forms can flare up and down. urination or pelvic pain in women. are usually treated with antibiotics. Other types of In rare cases, a skin rash or sores on the mouth or nose medications might be required if you have an STI. may develop. You might notice nail changes. Some men For acute attacks of reactive arthritis, corticosteroids get genital sores if they have reactive arthritis. can be very effective to control inflammation. These Reactive arthritis is can be taken orally as pills (prednisone) or sometimes like a fire in your joints as cortisone injections directly into a joint. This type or tendons caused by Visit RheumInfo.com of treatment works quickly. It can reduce the pain and inflammation swelling in the joints. Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory RheumInfo.com is a free educational website Drugs (NSAIDs) can also be used to reduce inflammation The inflammation caused by reactive arthritis where you can learn more about reactive and pain caused by acute reactive arthritis. is like a fire burning in your joints. If you were arthritis and treatments for the disease. The sitting in your living room and you noticed website is operated by Dr. Andy Thompson, a For chronic reactive arthritis, Disease Modifying a fire on the stove, you would want to put it rheumatologist. Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) can be effective. out right away before it spread. You wouldn’t Examples are methotrexate and sulfasalazine. If these say “let’s wait a little bit” until the fire spreads don’t work, newer medications called anti-TNF biologics to the ceiling before trying to put it out. With can be extremely effective. reactive arthritis we want to put out the fire Here are some other recommendations: in your joints as quickly as possible, before there’s permanent damage. We don’t want to • Learn as much as you can about the disease let it smoulder and get worse. • Attend your rheumatologist appointments regularly • Learn about joint protection from a physiotherapist or occupational therapist • Learn about the medications used to treat reactive arthritis • Get tested for STIs and abstain from unprotected sex Copyright 2013 RheumInfo Inc. (www.RheumInfo.com) if your results are positive Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade: 11.6